A LOCAL firm, in partnership with Japanese and Korean investors, has set up a company that will venture into biofuel production initially in Sarangani province, officials said last week.
Sarangani Vice Governor Steve C. Solon said the foreign investors and representatives of Safi Agro Industries Inc. formally presented the jatropha curcas (tuba-tuba) project at the weekend with the Provincial Government.
"This jatropha project stands to benefit our people and the province in general," he said, lauding the investors for choosing Sarangani as its pilot area.
Rey Cadorna, Safi Agro representative, said they formed the Sarangani Bio Corp with the aim of growing and processing jatropha into biodiesel product.
"Sarangani Bio plans to acquire and grow 50,000 hectares of the biofuel crop jatropha," Cadorna said.
He said Safi has already prepared the pilot batch of jatropha seedlings a year ago for a 100-hectare land in Siguel, Maasim.
Cadorna added that clearing activity for lands is slated this month and as soon as the manpower requirement is established, the project would then go on full implementation.
This venture would create jobs because "manpower will be coming from the local residents," Cadorna said.
Cadorna also said the other benefits the locality would enjoy include school buildings and infrastructure projects that investors are working out as development support through official development assistance.
He explained that his firm's (Safi) role "is to put in the land but the production and other costs would be shouldered by the foreign investors."
Cadorna added that Central Mindanao has an estimated 695,150 hectares suitable for growing jatropha but the joint venture would first concentrate with the 50,000-hectare target in Sarangani.
He said tuba-tuba "can thrive even in marginal soils and are easy to grow and manage."
"A hectare can produce 3,000 liters of crude jatropha oil, which can be refined into 2,400 liters of biodiesel," Cadorna said.
